The Isles won a game.
Mat Barzal deflected in a Robert Bertuzzi shot early in the second overtime of Game 4 on Long Island to give the Islanders their first win of the series and extend their season for at least one more game against the heavily favored Carolina Hurricanes.
The #Isles aren’t done!! Mat Barzal deflects a Bobby Bortuzzo bomb from the blueline to force Game 5️⃣ in Raleigh – and UBS is a MADHOUSE ️ ️ ️@brendanmburke | @91Butch | @Thomas_Hickey14 pic.twitter.com/eHxtb6FER8
— x – Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) April 27, 2024
The winner was Barzal’s second goal of the game, having tied it at 1-1 with the only goal of the second period.
It was another nail biter, and Semyon Varlamov was back in the net to continue his strong work throughout this series, making 42 saves.
Per form, the Isles had a third period lead on J-G Pageau’s PPG, but they couldn’t hold it, and Stefan Noesen forced OT with just under six minutes to go.
OT was tight, and players were increasingly allowed to hogtie each other, but Bo Horvat and Barzal each emerged from such efforts with good work behind the net leading to Bortuzzo’s shot, which left Brady Skjei tumbling over Frederick Andersen as the Long Island crowd erupted.
#Isles Robert Bortuzzo on his thought process for his OT assist to Barzal:
“Pucks on net. That was what Patty (Roy) was preaching.”
“Overtime goals are kind of odd. Sometimes there’s never really a pretty one that wasn’t but doesn’t matter.”
— Nick Palmer (@nickpalmer55) April 27, 2024
It’s only one game, and the odds are still long and ugly, but finally…finally they got to have a moment in this emotionally draining and frustrating season.
Up Next
Game 5 is back in Raleigh on Tuesday. Odds won’t be good for that one, but if they pull it off then things might get interesting.